Nikola Jovic starting over Kel'el Ware, and what it means

When last Miami Heat season, it was assumed that the team had decided upon its starting frontcourt for the forseeable future.

Kel'el Ware stepped into the lineup with Bam Adebayo -- as Adebayo wanted -- and the first-round pick casually put up numbers that earned him second-team All-Rookie status.

But there have been plenty of signs this summer that Nikola Jovic could regain the starting role that he had at the opening of the 2024-25 season.

First, there was Erik Spoelstra challenging Ware's "professionalism" while touting Jovic's growth in that area. Then there was Tyler Herro's ankle surgery, which may require Spoelstra to add a better spacer (Jovic over Ware at this point) until Herro returns, or beyond. And then there was the contract extension the Heat were comfortable giving Jovic, showing their faith in him (Ware isn't due for one for a couple of years).

So it shouldn't have surprised many that Jovic got the first start of the preseason, Saturday night in Puerto Rico against the Orlando Magic.

Then Jovic went out and outplayed Ware, reinforcing the decision. It wasn't just results, though Jovic had a silky stepback, among other strong sequences, in the first half. It was effort as well. There was one possession in particular that won't please Spoelstra when he reviews the tape, as Ware didn't really engage defensively with several opportunities to do so, and it ended in a Magic dunk.

No one questions Ware's talent, but it's apparent that the Heat intend to make him earn minutes every night. The Heat need his height and athleticism and they speak highly of his future with the franchise. In the short term, however, it's not Jovic who could take some off his plate. It's possible that newly reacquired Precious Achiuwa, who is undersized but plays with passion, could be subbed in at times if Ware isn't engaging.

The reality is that the Heat need both Jovic and Ware to "pop" this season, in a good way, in order to exceed expectations. It just seems at this point that Jovic is doing so first. Jovic has expressed a desire to start; Ware, perhaps being smartly political, has said he doesn't care. But Spoelstra does certainly care about pushing buttons to get the best from both. This will be an interesting dynamic to watch as the season progresses.

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